


Buoyancy

by CapsicleRogers



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Also there's some Rhodey, M/M, Swim AU, and some Pepper, lifeguard AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-27 00:41:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1708592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapsicleRogers/pseuds/CapsicleRogers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers is the hottest lifeguard Tony has ever seen. So he manages to persuade Steve to give him personal swimming lessons in order to see him more, but Tony already knows how to swim. As time goes on, he becomes more and more interested in Steve, but he has to decide which is more important: keeping Steve as his pretend instructor, or telling him the truth and risking everything they've become beyond that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Buoyancy [ART]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1708700) by [Sconeo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sconeo/pseuds/Sconeo). 



> For [Scone](http://sconee.tumblr.com/), as partnered with her amazing work. I couldn't have even dreamed up this story without her original idea and fantastic contributions.
> 
> Self-beta'd, so all mistakes are mine. Please forgive my transgressions!

There was one advantage to being a University guest lecturer, Tony Stark decided as he floated lazily around the Olympic-sized swimming pool of Whatever-State-University, and that was college gyms. Not that he particularly needed the gyms or the pool: running the largest and most successful company in the world certainly afforded him his own professional grade equipment and whatever physical trainer he could want, but there was no beating the atmosphere of a place that served as a safe haven from classes for some and as a hangout for others.

Plus there was the view. Normally Tony was all for privacy, especially when it came to making an ass of himself with  a set of dumbbells or when he was struggling to get in that last mile and was beginning to think he might die instead. Even here Tony couldn't imagine trying to use some of the equipment without looking pathetic, but that was more to do with the young muscleheads hanging around the weights and less about his own appearance. Frankly, at 45 Tony looked and felt amazing, and that meant that he certainly wasn't afraid to put himself in his most flattering bathing suit so that he could veg in the pool and watch everybody else try to look good.

And did they ever look good. It was on this particularly warm day in May that Tony found most of the university's campus choosing to lounge around and enjoy the weather rather than stay cooped up inside. There wasn't a single chaise left surrounding the large pool that hadn't been claimed by a student with a book or by a potential sun bather, and Tony had given his up in favor of borrowing one of the pool's floaties in order to enjoy the heated water instead. The floaty looked ridiculous - like something they had pulled out of the kids department at Walmart but Tony had been assured that it was their mascot or something - and left much to be desired, but so far the ugly orange crab-thing with inflatable claws and a dopey expression hadn't seemed to affect Tony's appearance anyway. So far it had actually done the opposite, drawing attention to Tony from some of the more spirited students who waved and cheered from the edge before going to find seats. Tony had even been invited to a game of chicken with a small group of gorgeous blondes and what looked to be their football boyfriends, but he had declined in favor of spectating. That had only just recently ended when one of the ladies nearly cracked her head on the pool's edge and the lifeguard had given them an exasperated scolding. He had been a lanky brunet that looked like he needed to be relaxing more around the pool rather than working around it, but he was packing up now and muttering complaints under his breath while he did so. Tony allowed his floaty to turn him around so that he wasn't watching the boy, focusing instead on the group that looked like it was going to go right back to its horseplay as soon as he was gone.

It only took a minute for the lazy floaty to make the full circle, and during that time Tony wondered how long he could get away with just staying in the pool, avoiding his assistant Pepper and the inevitability of the piles of paper in his office. He had just completed his circle as the brunet disappeared through the locker room doors, leaving enough space for his replacement to pass by him with a friendly nod.

As soon as Tony caught sight of the new lifeguard, though, he gasped and felt his footing give way. He slipped through the wings of his floaty and into the pool with a giant splash, arms waving dramatically. The sudden shock of water hit him in the face like a wall of ice, and Tony made another gasping breath to try to recover himself. But he was already underwater, and the intake of chlorinated pool water only sent him reeling further, flailing both his arms and his legs in an attempt to right himself and to get over the shock of being so quickly and unexpectedly submerged. It felt like minutes as he struggled to find purchase or surface in the water, but his feet finally hit the bottom and he pushed up with one last gasping breath as he managed to break the surface.

It was only after he caught his breath did he realize he was standing in water that was barely three feet deep, gasping and sputtering for air like he'd almost died and drawing the attention of everybody around him. And that included, of course, the lifeguard, who looked to be about three breaths away from jumping in the pool himself in order to make a daring and heroic save. Which wasn't great for Tony, who was still trying to take in the original image that had startled him so much.

The new lifeguard was a tall, muscular blond with so much to him that Tony wasn't really sure where to look. Sharply toned legs curved upwards and gently cupped the most beautifully shaped bottom Tony had ever seen, emphasized by the burst of red created by his standard-issue trunks. Tony had always assumed it was impossible for anybody to ever make that sort of uniform look good, but the evidence disproving his original theory was standing right in front of him, waving his ass around like a red flag.

But it was as the lifeguard turned around that Tony realized the front was at least as nice to look at as the back. His eyes were immediately drawn to the yellow polo . Even the collar seemed to be straining, revealing a delicious hint of skin and collarbone that was just begging Tony to drag his tongue across it. Tony's eyes followed that path, roving over where the fabric was pulled so obscenely tight across a pair of pecs it looked like it might burst, and down to where the shirt was just tight enough to reveal the beginnings of probably some of the most firm abdomens Tony had ever seen. He felt himself swallow hard as those abs strained under the material in fluid motion, and forced himself to look down before he could be tempted to make any more assessments. It was only as he finally pulled his eyes down to the water in front of him that he realized the lifeguard was actually speaking to him.

"Are you okay?" the man was asking, and Tony mentally shook himself from his thoughts and gathered his injured pride as best he could before putting on his brightest smile and laughing off the man's concern.

"I'm fine!" Tony called, "Just great. Why do you ask?"

The lifeguard looked mostly unconvinced, but Tony was too busy studying his face to care. Of course he was a damn blond, Tony always had to have a thing with blonds, with every hair in its proper place. He was squatting by the edge of the pool, affording Tony the closeness he needed to just see that the man's eyes were a sparkling blue, focused sharply on Tony as he assessed him for harm.

"Really," Tony insisted, stepping towards the edge of the pool as though to prove he was still functioning, "I'm fine. Name's Tony, I can count fingers, tell you my address, whatever you need to convince yourself, muscles."

The blond's eyes widened for just a moment at Tony's forwardness but then he laughed and relaxed his pose. "I'm Steve," he said, and hesitated with a half-outstretched hand before pulling it back in awkwardly, "And I just wanted to check. You looked like you breathed in a lot of water there."

"Maybe I'm part mermaid or something," Tony countered, "Because no harm done here. Don't even know what caused it, must have just slipped on the lining or something, you know how it can be with soggy feet." To emphasize, Tony let himself fall back onto his floaty with a whoosh of air and waves to show off his increasingly wrinkled feet. This got another chuckle out of Steve, and Tony decided that like everything else about the muscled blond, his laugh was something Tony wanted more of.

Steve also looked like he wanted to say more, but he was beginning to look uncomfortable in his position. Tony really couldn't blame him. As soon as Tony stood back up they were practically touching they had become so close, and the conversation had suddenly dropped, leaving an awkward silence. Additionally, the noise level around them was becoming louder and louder as the people around them returned to whatever rules they had been breaking before Steve's arrival. Steve was also apparently beginning to notice this, and moved to stand.

"Look, Tony, it was nice meeting you. But if you're really okay I've got to get back to watching the whole pool - " Steve said, looking hesitant to move but giving off a sense of urgency that had Tony grasping for a reason to keep the blond's attention. He didn't have much, because obviously he was okay beyond a slightly bruised ego and a terrible new crush, but he knew he needed to keep Steve talking to him if he wanted any sort of chance with the guy - and he did.

"I can't swim!"

The words were past his lips really before he could comprehend saying them, and Tony only just barely resisted the urge to throw his hands to cover his mouth. But it seemed to have worked, as Steve stopped mid-crouch and looked back to Tony expectantly.

Checking to make sure nobody else had either heard him or was looking now, Tony moved in closer to the blond.

"I can't swim, I just really startled myself, you know?"

Steve licked his lips pensively before moving forward a little himself.

"Tony, not knowing how to swim is nothing you need to be ashamed of," he responded quietly, "You don't need to hide it - and you probably shouldn't hide it from the lifeguards."

Tony tried to shrug nonchalantly, but Steve's blue eyes were boring into him with such concern and intent that Tony felt himself crumble a little. It was in that look that he suddenly had an idea that might make his outburst sound reasonable, and he felt himself grin a little.

"Actually," he said easily, "I was hoping to fix that pretty soon. You know, maybe get some lessons, not have to worry about it anymore. You don't happen to know anybody who could give those, do you?"

It wasn't like he really needed to be back at the office, anyway, and a few hours well-spent in the arms of the blond in front of him certainly seemed like an afternoon better spent. Hell, with the way Steve had been looking at him, Tony was pretty certain he could even wrangle in a date at the end of the day given he played his cards right. Steve seemed like the kind of guy who didn't like to be treated or paid but at the very least could be guilted into one thank you dinner, surely?

"The university offers lessons every week," Steve offered instead, and Tony's face fell with the blond's eagerness. Clearly he hadn't quite received the hint, so Tony moved forward.

"I'm not a student here," he pushed, "I was hoping for a little bit of help... you know, privately." He briefly grimaced, because that sounded like something out of a bad porno, but it seemed to do the trick, as Steve's eyes lit up and recognition dawned on his face.

"I guess I could teach you," he said quietly, "If you're more interested in learning in a one-on-one environment." Tony smiled and nodded, because  _yes that's exactly right_ , but Steve continued speaking before he could give a verbal agreement, "But we would have to it in the evening, when the pools are mostly empty. If you're interested, of course."

It wasn't exactly what Tony had in mind, but it wasn't a  _no_ , either. Meeting in the evening meant that it might take a little longer than Tony had planned but it also meant a little more time with lifeguard McHottie. It also meant they would be mostly alone, and while the actual evening he had intended didn't involve a sensual backstroke, it wasn't too far off.

"Sure, big guy," Tony finally agreed, cocking his eyebrow at his now grinning swim instructor, "You got it. When did you want to meet for the lesson?"

Steve looked more eager now that the possibility of him being an instructor was becoming more real, and he sat back to think before responding. "What if we started tomorrow evening? You can meet me here around nine and I think we can get just enough in before the pool closes. Then we can figure out when else to meet once or twice a week until you've got it."

The blond immediately began rattling off days and times that he was available while counting off on his fingers and Tony found himself losing focus because, "Wait, once or twice a  _week_ ?" he asked. Steve, who had directed his gaze upwards in an attempt to remember his own personal calendar, looked back to Tony with a slightly confused expression before nodding.

"Swimming's not going to come instantly, Tony," he replied, "It takes time, and practice. I know you're going to want to swim instantly, but it may be a lengthy process. I'm willing to stick it out with you if you're willing."

Tony stared hard at Steve for a moment, considering. On the one hand, blurting that he couldn't swim had probably been one of the biggest lies he'd told to date (which was also a lie, but why break a streak when you're on one). It was only a matter of time before he let slip that he actually could swim and then he'd be dealing with Steve's disappointment. It was also a major blow to his ego to imagine flailing around in the water like he hadn't been trained by champion swimmers for most of his life. On the other hand, there was a pair of big blue eyes trained on him that were attached to the nicest body he'd had the opportunity to rub against in a long time. If it really was just a matter of faking a skill for a short while before he charmed the blond then it might be worth it. After all, it wasn't like he'd have to continue the lie forever, or for anyone other than Steve, right? "Deal," he said finally, taking Steve's hand in a resolute handshake, "I'm willing."


	2. Chapter 2

"So let me get this straight."

Pepper leaned over Tony's desk, staring hard at her employer while he did his best to look innocent. "You're going out and you don't know how long and you don't know where simply because you met a college lifeguard yesterday and you somehow managed to convince him you don't know how to swim? Have you even considered how absolutely ridiculous that even sounds?"

"That's actually mostly untrue," Tony objected, squirming minutely as his redheaded assistant leaned closer and closer, "I do know where I'm going and believe it or not I am capable of running my own background checks - his name is Steve Rogers and he's so squeaky clean even you might be impressed with his track record." Still, Pepper didn't look entirely convinced, not that Tony had been counting on convincing her so easily. Pepper was one of Tony's best friends and by far his most trusted employee but she hadn't gotten there quickly. She was beautiful and fierce, sharp and clever, and was one of the few people Tony knew who was able to sometimes properly threaten him into his responsibilities without making him want to rebel. Pepper had been his personal assistant for years now, and while she probably could have done better in a different company, had stayed loyal to Tony through thick and thin. Usually he trusted her judgement and even went to her for advice before making a big decision, but his personal life had been a bit of a bore as of late and he knew he only had to convince her to let him have a chance here. "Look, if you'd seen this guy you'd understand. He's like a perfect walking specimen and I have the opportunity to be up close, wet, and personal, Peps. It's not like it's actually hurting anybody."

"Except maybe him. I can't believe you'd just make up a story like that Tony, you can't just go around lying to people so that you can have your way."

"It's not hurting him to spend a little time with a guy who may or may not be pretending to learn to swim. He practically volunteered to give the lessons himself."

"Because he thought he was helping a person in need!" Pepper's heels clicked on the tile flooring as she rounded the desk to look down at Tony in his seat, "You're taking advantage of his generosity, Tony, and you need to go apologize to him immediately."

"Okay, first off," Tony sounded, standing partially in an attempt to avoid Pepper's looming aura, "I'm not taking advantage of anybody, and it's unfair that you just assume I am. I was going to offer to pay him or something; he's not getting the short end of any stick here. And secondly I know you're supposed to help me keep my life sorted but last time I checked that didn't necessarily involve you snooping into every little thing that I do. If I want to go out and spend an evening in a university's gym I do think that's my prerogative to do so,"

While talking, Tony had managed to pace himself all the way around his office and found himself standing right in front of the door. He opened it and looked back to Pepper defiantly, but she hadn't moved from her spot near his desk. She had crossed her arms, though, and was looking considerably more resigned.

"Look," he said, watching her closely and trying not to sound as frustrated as she looked, "Just don't worry about it. You know where I am, and I expect you not to bother me while I'm there."

Pepper sighed as Tony turned and decided to ignore her. "You know I'm going to worry, Tony. Somebody's going to end up hurt here and I don't want that to happen. Mostly I worry that it's going to be you, really I do. Just be careful hanging out with him, okay?"

Tony didn't respond to Pepper's request, but the sound haunted him all the way out the building's doors.

Tony was still steaming by the time he made it into the University's locker rooms, although the sight of Steve leaning against the cool lockers was a quick pick-me-up. He was even less dressed than the last time Tony had seen him, opting for a pair of regular blue swimming trunks and no shirt. Tony wasn't sure how the muscles could seem more prominent after he'd seen them stretched under cotton but as Steve moved to stand they flexed and Tony was forced to swallow hard. Like his first glimpse, seeing Steve practically stalking towards him forced Tony's mind into a manual reboot and he found himself unable to look away from the fluidity of abs and calves and pecs.

"Hey," he offered finally, forcing the word out through a dry throat and another hard swallow. He aimed for casualty as he tugged his own shirt off, feeling uncharacteristically conscious of his own body as he dropped his belongings into an empty locker. Steve smiled back and offered an easy greeting, shuffling to join Tony at his chosen locker. He hovered just behind Tony as the brunet prepared for their lesson, so close Tony could feel the heat coming off of Steve as he turned around and they nearly met chest to chest. He startled, nearly brushing smooth skin against smooth skin as he maneuvered around the blond's imposing presence in an attempt to avoid touching or looking too awkward.

"Are you ready to get started for the evening?" the blond asked, grabbing his towel casually as though he hadn't just been standing practically on top of his temporary student and Tony nodded, letting the blond lead them into the university's smaller pool. Once they were out of the cramped lockers Tony felt himself relax a little, no longer pressed by the closeness of the space or the heat of the changing room. Steve set down his towel in a nearby lounge chair and waited as Tony followed but found himself staring at the water with hesitancy. Since arriving he had mostly gotten over Pepper's exasperation but it was still fresh, and now that he was out by the water with Steve there was a new concern slowly taking shape in his mind. Now that the lesson was starting it seemed that convincing Steve that he actually couldn't swim may be a harder task than he had originally anticipated. He didn't know the first thing about swimming lessons or not knowing how to swim. How did non-swimmers act around water anyway? Was there a basic instinct that allowed people to tread water or was he expected to just sink to the bottom? Was he expected to know how to hold his breath? How to float? What if he actually drowned trying to make drowning look convincing?

"I'm more than ready," Tony finally said when he realized Steve was staring at him expectantly. He gave the water another look and shook his head, because those fears were absurd. So far he had managed to convince Steve so what did it matter once they went in the water? Surely it couldn't be much more difficult to play the idea by ear as issues came up; Tony was an engineer, after all, and completely used to settling these sorts of problems. Still, Steve looked so eager to begin that it pressed the small fear in Tony that the whole endeavor might be a mistake after all and that he would blow his chances with the lifeguard. "How did you want to get started, Teach?"

Steve's face lit up with the question, and Tony was glad he had asked. "I thought we might just start in the shallow end and work our way towards the deep end - not too close, just as close as you're comfortable going," the blond suggested, walking to the edge and hopping into the nearest end, hissing just a little when the cold water touched his skin but otherwise looking plenty comfortable.

"I can get as close as you wanna go," Tony replied, stretching a little before sitting against the edge himself. The water was cold, almost icy against his flesh and he hissed as well, taking his time to go any further into the water. Allowing Steve to lead the lesson the way he wanted to lead it seemed like the best way to go, especially since Tony still wasn't sure what he was doing. He assumed the blond had a perfectly reasonable game plan, and if it involved telling Tony exactly where he was in his imaginary journey to buoyancy then it meant that Tony didn't have to try so hard to figure that out for himself.

"Tony, I don't want to push you too hard. It's mostly to try to get you used to the water, stop you from being too afraid of it."

Tony halted, mid-slide, and stared at Steve while he balanced precariously on the pool's ledge. He almost went straight in but he was so shocked by Steve's claim that it left him entirely frozen, trying to make sure he'd heard correctly.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked, tilting his head so that he could hear Steve a little better, because it was impossible that those words had come out of the blond's mouth.

Steve's lips drew into a thin line and he looked pensive before speaking again. "I don't mean anything by it," he finally said, slowly, "But I just know that we're not going to get anywhere until you can push past your fear of water." He moved forward just slightly, arms lifted in a calming gesture, but Tony still felt himself bristle as one of his hands slipped off the edge and slid into the water. His feet touched the bottom of the shallow section and he lifted up immediately, both hands struggled against the ledge and feet pushing off the wall to get him higher out of the water.

"No, I definitely heard right the first time," Tony confirmed, scrambling to right himself and to be as far from Steve - and, ultimately, out of the water - as quickly as possible. It was such a ridiculous notion, that he might be afraid of swimming when he'd been swimming since before he could remember, but even considering that he had been in the water when the two of them met. Where might Steve have gotten the idea, and what prompted the blond to bring it up and act as though Tony were too delicate for this simple task? "And that is definitely the most ridiculous thing I've heard all week. Probably in the running for all year, don't even know where it came from," he insisted, barely looking at Steve as he moved.

"It's completely normal!" Steve called from the water, calm gestures turning more wild as he tried to stop Tony from fleeing, but the brunet was already out of the pool and reaching for one of the towels.

"I'm not afraid of water, Steve," Tony bit back, wiping the water that splashed as he stumbled out of the pool from his face and torso and wrapping the damp towel around himself. "It would be perfectly normal if it were true but you got your signals mixed somewhere in there," He continued, pausing only to look at the blond in the pool. Steve seemed to be considering whether or not he should follow Tony, arms going up and down in indecision and face contorting with emotion. The blond was struggling so much with whatever was going on in his own head that Tony began to wonder if maybe Pepper had been right. Tony didn't know a thing about Steve and likewise, the lifeguard clearly didn't know a thing about him. How ridiculous had this idea been, when Steve really was just interested in helping somebody get passed some perceived fear and Tony was interested in something completely different?

"Maybe this was a bad idea," he conceded aloud, making his decision, "But thanks for volunteering, muscles." He didn't give Steve a chance to reply before heading back for the lockers. He didn't _want_ to look at Steve face, twisted in confusion and frustration as Tony walked away, and echoing the supreme disappointment Tony was all too familiar with.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony only made it as far as his own locker before the door at the pool's entrance opened slowly and Steve made sure to slink in slowly and carefully. He was mostly quiet as Tony gathered his things from his locker, but spoke when Tony turned to look at him. It was a gamble to chance looking at the man, Tony knew, but he also knew he had been a little irrational over Steve's accusation. It was a reasonable assumption that a full grown man might have a latent fear preventing him from learning how to swim, especially given how Tony had been stumbling through the lesson all evening. Steve had been trying to be sensitive to Tony's pretend needs, and Tony had let that concern bruise his pride and his ego and had fled because of it.

"I didn't mean to insult you," Steve said quietly, "And I didn't mean to push or imply that you were scared. I'm not used to teaching people, and I tend to get ahead of myself sometimes. I only want you to be as comfortable in the water as I feel, and I'm afraid I might not know any different than I was taught." He paused in order to look up at Tony, who schooled his expression as their eyes met. Steve chuckled, a little bitterly, and pressed on, "Would you believe I used to be a puny little punk who was afraid of the water?"

This drew Tony's attention, and he shot Steve an incredulous look before saying, "No way," disbelievingly. Steve was an easy six-foot-plus, and built like he had been engineered. It was impossible that Steve's physique was anything but genetic, but Steve nodded insistently and continued.

"I was. I've always been kind of tall but I used to be the lankiest thing on two legs. You couldn't pay a detective to find an ounce of muscle on me, not that you would know it from the way I acted." He laughed, lost in some memory as Tony listened, wrapped in his towel but certainly more open to Steve's easing attitude and quiet confessions. "I was kind of a little shit, frankly, and tended to act bigger than I was. That's how I ended up in the Hudson at high tide one day when I was 15. All the boys were playing batting around when one of them hit the ball into the water. I hadn't been allowed to play but I was so eager to prove myself to them that I didn't even warn anybody before going in after it. I didn't realize the water was over my head, and I couldn't swim at the time - had never gotten around to learning and didn't have a reason anyway - and the shock of it going over my head terrified me so much I froze on the spot. All my classmates apparently laughed for a good minute before anybody realized I was in any real danger. One of the younger boys, Bucky, finally dove in to drag me out but by that time I was nearly unconscious."

Steve chuckled, self-deprecating, and looked down at his hands. "I was so grateful for Bucky we ended up fast friends. But the others - they were so intent on making fun of me for getting rescued by a ten year old that I decided I'd never get in the water again to avoid giving them another reason to make fun of me. I managed to forget about it for a few years before I tried swimming again, only to realize that any time I let the water get as high as my neck the only thing I could think about was the inkiness of the Bay and thinking I was going to die in it. It took years to try to get past that, and only then it was with constant supervision and encouragement. Sometimes I just forget that others aren't quite as stubborn as I am, and haven't suffered the same experiences or need the same coddling."

"That sounds more like you had shitty friends, except for this Bucky kid," Tony ventured. Steve laughed again, but this time it was more pleasant than scornful. He looked up from his knotted hands to flash Tony a grin, and the brunet felt himself smiling back. "Tell you what," he continued, wanting to see more of that grin, "If you can try to avoid making this a spiritual aquatic journey to become one with the water then I'll try not to question your teaching methods too much."

He extended his hand for good measure, and Steve took it quickly. "That's fair," he replied, shaking hard, "Although I really think if you considered the mental and spiritual benefits of aqua-juvenation you'd find yourself a religious - "

Tony let out a loud groan and yanked his hand away, but Steve cut himself off with a hearty laugh and stuck his own hand back out, "I'm pulling your leg, Tony, I promise to try to develop these lessons more towards your tastes."

Tony took it with only the slightest hesitation and closed his locker.

"Well, since we won't be spending an indeterminate amount of time convincing you it's okay to put your head under water, I guess we can jump straight into technique," Steve explained. "Which, ironically, we're going to be starting out of the pool, but I can assure you it's not because of your latent fear of water."

Tony watched Steve suspiciously as the blond gave him a knowing look and lowered himself down onto the edge of the pool. His legs stuck out in front of him and he dipped them beneath the surface, kicking contentedly while he waited for Tony to come forward. Tony dropped his towel onto one of the lounge chairs only after his staring contest had forced a conceding laugh from Steve, who gestured for him to join him on the edge.

"Have at it, sensei," Tony said as he lowered his own feet into the cold water, clenching his toes as chills passed through his legs and doing his best to ignore them. Steve seemed oblivious, choosing instead to position them more appropriately for what he was intending to show Tony. He reached over and grabbed Tony's arms then, lifting them straight over his head. Tony let him, arms loose enough to maneuver but tense with the brunet's caution. He couldn't see his hands, and he couldn't see Steve or what the blond might be intending to do.

"We have to get your arms used to the stroke," Steve explained, seemingly not even conscious of the effect that had on Tony, "It's going to feel silly, but you're going to be making a sort of half-windmill motion, and that's how you propel your upper body and control direction. Steve's hands followed Tony's up to his palms, where the blond flattened his hands and then began to demonstrate the correct motions. Tony, for the most part, zoned out. He was familiar with correct swimming technique, and the breath that grazed the back of his neck every now and then was considerably more distracting than he would have liked. "Do you feel the way you should be moving?" Steve asked after a while, and Tony was returned to the present state.

"Yeah, yeah," he confirmed, "Something like this." He then half-heartedly demonstrated what he'd known how to do for years.

"Not quite." Steve shook his head, lips pressed thin. He clearly wasn't happy with the guided demonstration, and Tony briefly wondered why. He'd been swimming like that for years, so - "You're not quite stretching your arms right. You should be feeling the strain here - " And Steve's hands were suddenly on Tony's back, pressing gently on his obliques before pulling away just as quickly "- Just watch me."

_With pleasure_ , Tony thought, watching with interest as Steve rejoined him along the edge of the pool and took on a look of concentration. Tony watched _very carefully_ as Steve began the proper technique, every muscle tensing and stretching.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Tony conceded, and actually concentrated on his form in his second attempt. Steve smiled, and Tony took that as a passing mark.He also grinned to matched Steve’s pleasant surprise.

"Looks better," Steve announced, "Just a little more touching up." He stood back up, and Tony found himself once again warmed by the skin of Steve's legs against his back.

While the idea that Steve thought he was afraid of water had been one of Tony's most embarrassing moments in his lifetime, treading air was quickly working its way to the top of that list. Through Steve's encouragement and gentle but handsy guidance, Tony felt his arms begin to make windmills in the air, pushing imaginary water and straining to match the technique Steve was trying to perfect.

"You're getting the hang of this pretty quickly," Steve commented, pressing muscled thighs against Tony's back and causing him to shiver for reasons unrelated to the cold water around his ankles. He stifled a groan at their close contact, but Steve pulled away anyway. "If you're feeling confident, I think we may be able to move straight into the next step."

Tony nodded thankfully, a shudder passing through him as Steve pressed hands against his back and shoulders to help himself up. Despite the even closer contact, Tony was glad to feel the weight of Steve's body lift off of him. He let out a breath of relief, but tried to play it cool when Steve looked back at him with an eyebrow quirked. "We're going to practice proper kicking," Steve continued slowly, "Which means you'll need to be completely in the pool. If you think you're going to get too cold, you might want to say so now."

Tony couldn't help but laugh, because _temperature_ was the last thing he was concerned about. Steve's natural body temperature had to be at least five degrees warmer than anybody Tony had ever touched before, and the heat had been radiating between the two of them for the past hour. Tony was frankly surprised all the water running over Steve's chiseled body wasn't just sweat from the workout of rubbing their bare skin together all evening -

"What? I'm going to be fine," Tony managed smoothly, shaking those thoughts from his head before jumping in the water after Steve. It was cooler than he actually intended, and Tony gasped as the cold water traveled up his body. Steve chuckled unsympathetically, so Tony splashed at him a few times before dunking himself to try to force body regulation.

"You have got to be kidding me," Tony nearly shrieked, coming up and wrapping his arms around himself, "I'm out!" He had felt the iciness of the water with his feet, but dunking himself hadn’t helped the temperature in the least. It was bad enough that he’d been fighting an awkward tent in his pants, but now it was gone and everything else was standing with the chill, he almost wanted it back.

"You promised," Steve laughed back, reaching out to stop Tony in case he tried to jump out. But the brunet just gave him a dirty look, more and more unimpressed with Steve's efforts. "Come on, it's not so bad, just come over here against the wall. It's another fast lesson, I promise."

Tony watched him for a moment, working his expression to let Steve know how unconvinced he may be, but finally moved slowly to the wall. "We gotta get all the techniques down," Steve explained, "Or you're just going to end up sinking, or going in circles." Which was a funny image that had both of them grinning, but not really possible. "Now, grab hold of the wall and stick your legs out this way. You're pretty much going to be floating on the water at this point, but you'll have the wall so there's no chance you'll sink."

Tony resisted making a comment on Steve's reassurances, because the man seemed genuinely interested in making sure Tony stayed comfortable and capable of learning. Instead, the brunet stuck his arms out, gripping the edge and letting his feet float to the surface. It felt strange, spread out over the surface of the water while Steve hovered over him. But at least the blond wasn't _touching_ him anymore. He wasn't sure how he would react to that now, and he wasn't willing to find out.

Thankfully, Steve didn't seem to have any further agenda. "Now the easy part. Just start kicking. You're looking for a technique that feels like it's propelling you forward."

That would have been an easy enough explanation even if Tony wasn't already familiar with basic living. He began kicking confidently, intentionally splashing water everywhere. Steve let out a surprised shout, pulling away as quickly as possible. Tony laughed, halting the chaotic spurts of water long enough to catch his breath.

"Not fair," Steve whined, but it didn't sound particularly concerned. Tony began laughing again, unable to resist when he saw Steve's pathetic face. The man looked like a wet puppy, all scowl and dripping water. Tony almost - almost - forgot his huge physical attraction just because the faces Steve was making were so cute, but he didn't want to upset the blond for too long.

"I couldn't resist," he confessed through his quieting chuckles. Steve responded by continuing to look like a drowned puppy, but at least a slightly more amused on. Tony resumed when Steve's scathing look softened just a little more, only this time the pattern was more controlled.

Steve smiled when Tony had successfully treaded enough water behind him to create small waves throughout the entire pool. "See," he said enthusiastically, "This is the easy part. You've already got it down."

"It's only been an hour," Tony commented, a little exasperated. He couldn't believe he'd wasted an hour of his life in this pool, acting like he didn't know how to tread water or kick his feet. But Steve seemed so pleased with the both of them that a tiny part of Tony also felt glad he had decided to take this step.

"It'll get better. At this rate you'll be swimming within the month, and that's only because we're only meeting once a week." Steve leaned against the wall and look to Tony, his grin broad. "I'm really proud of you, Tony."

"I - Thanks, Steve," Tony responded, shock keeping him from vocalizing his true appreciation. It felt silly, anybody being proud of anybody else for something so trivial, but Steve really looked like he meant it. And Tony suddenly wanted more of that, beyond these stolen swimming lessons. "Do you want to grab lunch sometime?" he blurted, too quickly to even think about not asking.

Even the surprise of Steve's face was genuine, but it quickly transformed into an even more pleased expression.

"Yeah, I'd like that," the blond agreed, to which Tony couldn't help but grin.


	4. Chapter 4

Tony made sure to pick a place that he knew would cater to the both of them as well as his own inherent need to keep Steve to himself. He ended up choosing a small deli that was near the University but not close enough to garner much interest from its students, who Tony knew could recognize either of them. He really just wanted to have Steve to himself for the afternoon, and that was a desire he wanted to neither deal with nor address. The deli was new to the blond anyway, which meant he spent the first fifteen minutes of their lunch investigating all of his choices and asking the man at the service counter every question he could think of.

Tony had never been much of a sandwich man himself, usually going for whatever he happened to spot on the menu first, but there was something charming about the way Steve seemed to dedicate himself to choosing just the right matching ingredients and making sure his order was something others would recommend. Tony didn't even flinch when the other man insisted on a healthy spread of the spicy mayo, a habit that would usually send Tony into violent fits of taste rage. He thought that was strange, since his reflex had never been subdued before, but it seemed that Steve was an exception. Tony tried not to think too hard about that, but ended up following Steve's trend and taking a few recommendations. Still, Steve's grin was worth it, and by the time Tony sat down he had resigned himself to odd deli choices and late nights back in a strange university.

It was a surprisingly quiet meal for the most part, both men content to sit in relative silence just to enjoy each other's company. Tony found that he didn't mind the sandwich choice as much as the thought he would, and while Steve had gently nudged Tony's knee with his own once, he didn't seem to mind Tony's persistent leg bouncing.

"So other than the 'desperately needing to swim' bit, you haven't said much about yourself," Steve observed halfway through lunch, an expression on his face that still managed to seem pensive despite the bulge of food the blond had stuffed in his cheek. Tony let out a surprised huff, the question unexpected - and honestly, a little unwelcome.

"You'd get real bored, real fast," the brunet answered, his eyes rolling in his head and smirk stretching across his lips. He normally didn't mind telling others all about himself, but for some reason he didn't want Steve to know all that much. It almost felt like the more Steve knew, the higher the chance of him disliking Tony might be.

"Come on, I like a good story," Steve prodded gently, "I'm sure there are plenty of interesting things about you."

"Actually," Tony countered thoughtfully, "I'm not really sure there's much to tell. I run a company, although if you asked my assistant she would tell you that she does all the running. I went to college, got my degree, and spent three years dicking off before finally deciding to do something with my business."

"I'm serious," Steve admonished, perhaps less seriously than he would have liked, "Tell me about yourself."

Tony put down his sandwich and watched Steve. He'd hoped the generic brush-off would have pushed the other man away from any interest in Tony's personal business but it seemed to have had the opposite effect. He snorted in derision and leaned forward a little, contemplating what he might say.

"There really isn't much," he admitted, "I've been groomed since a young age to take over the family company and when my old man finally kicked it, I took over. I spent most of my childhood under the tutelage of private tutors or nannies, training for the day I might become Mr. CEO. When I was old enough, my father shipped me off to boarding school, where I learned how to bullshit others as well as I could bullshit my parents, and with those skills I went to MIT. Graduated summa cum laude when I was 17, the same year my parents died. I jumped immediately back into the business market and when I turned 21, had my company literally handed to me on a silver platter. Like I said earlier, it took me three years of goofing off to finally decide to do something with that company, and here we are now. Twenty years later and finally learning how to live." He took a small breath, surprised to have said as much as he did. There was still a bitterness to much of his story that he hadn't intended to reveal either explicitly or in his voice, but Steve didn't seem to be affected one way or the other.

"It hasn't been twenty years," Steve said instead, putting down his own meal to free his hands, which he folded in front of himself carefully. Tony hadn't realized but the blond had not taken a single bite since he'd started speaking. Tony stared at him, because he’d been tearing apart his own sandwich while he spoke.

"I hate to break it to you, son, but it has in fact been twenty years," Tony chuckled, taken aback by the absurdity of the accusation. "Is that all you got from that? How old I am?"

This time Steve laughed. "It was the only part I found unbelievable!" he defended, "All the rest makes sense, I just guess I didn't expect you to be so old. You don't look it." This was followed by an appreciative but shy glance down Tony's body, to which the brunet preened.

"Of course I don't," he agreed, "I am all the best that money can buy, and I'm going to be this way for at least another twenty years." He clicked his tongue. "But you haven't said anything about yourself, either. Don't tell me you're secretly ninety, yourself."

"I'm not," Steve answered quickly, "I just turned 27. But I hardly doubt my personal story is going to be nearly as... interesting."

"I want you to tell me more about this miniature shithead that you apparently used to be,” Tony insisted further, pushing Steve’s sandwich back towards himself and giving him a pleading look.

Steve shrugged, but it was with a forced casualty. "There's not much to tell. Pretty much my entire life, I couldn't seem to gain any weight beyond a hundred and thirty pounds. I looked malnourished on good days, and on the bad ones I was lucky if the other guys let me even tag along. And I told you about Bucky - the ten year old that ended up fishing me out of the water."

"You say that like he's still ten years old," Tony interrupted. Everything he'd heard about Steve mysterious friend had been in the past tense, with little to do with Steve's latest history.

"He's not," Steve answered, although it was only when his face fell that Tony realized there might be a reason Steve hadn't mentioned Bucky in the present. He was beginning to panic, and to try to think of a way to apologize when took a deep breath and looked up again. "He's actually the reason I started swimming again."

"Look, Steve, you don't gotta talk about this if - " the brunet tried, fumbling over the words in an attempt to cover his growing discomfort, but Steve shook his head.

"No, it's not like that - " and Tony let out a breath of relief - "See, Bucky joined the military - the marines - halfway through his senior year of high school. He'd just turned eighteen, said school wasn't working for him, and disappeared into the ranks. Flying colors in boot camp, the works. I was in school at the time, working on getting an art degree, but we had been in pretty much constant contact since we became friends back at the Bay. We were inseparable, until he came home the evening after recruitment and said he was packing his bags. It took a few weeks, so I didn't really believe him until he actually hopped on the bus out of town. I was so distraught by the idea of Bucky leaving because it had been so sudden for me, I ended up running to the recruitment office myself."

"You didn't," Tony gasped, forcing down an amused laugh at the idea of Steve's toothpick self marching into a recruitment office and demanding a spot.

"I did!" Steve laughed back, "Walked right into the office, looked the officer square in the eye, and told him I wanted him to ship me off to boot camp. I thought the man was going to have a heart attack right then and there."

"Surely he didn't let you."

"You know, he actually did. Spent an hour trying to convince me it was a bad idea, but I wasn't going to be swayed. I was convinced boot camp would be easy if you were determined enough, even for a scrawny guy like me." Steve took a deep breath and folded his hands. "But it wasn't. I couldn't pass the swim test, couldn't even get in the pool. That was the tipping point for the recruit that could barely make it through any of the other exercises. When I failed, they started shifting me around, putting me in different platoons to try to fix all the things that were wrong. They fixed most of it." Steve pushed on a biceps, grinning.

"But not the swimming?" Tony asked, leaning forward. Steve's face fell.

"But not the swimming. They discharged me, and I was so angry. Bucky was shipped out, and at that point I was nearing peak physical condition, but I still couldn't do anything. I kept trying and kept trying, until the Army took me. But with the Future Soldiers Program. That's where I worked with therapists to try to get back into the water. I didn't need it for the army, but I wasn't going to let it stop me again.

"I finally got through. But by the time I was ready, it had become more for myself. Bucky had been in and out a few times, done his best to try to talk me out of it. I didn't really think about it until then, but when recruitment came by, I decided to wait. It wasn't even the right branch of the military. I figured I might as well finish what I set out to do for myself, first.

"So Bucky's on tour and I'm here, keeping this job here at the college while I actually finally finish my first degree."

Steve looked back up, thoughtful. Tony hummed in commiseration, but it didn't feel sufficient. He wanted to tell Steve that his story had been much more interesting, but it took away from the gravity of Steve's history, so he stayed silent.

"Look, this has actually been really nice," Steve offered after a few moments of silence, crunching his sandwich wrapper into a sloppy ball and tossing it towards the trashcan. It landed with only a single bounce and Tony found himself staring, amused, at Steve's small and personal victory dance before the blond added, "I'd like to do it again sometime." Tony hadn't been paying attention, but Steve had apparently been slowly working on his meal, and had pushed the heavy air around them aside on his own.

"I am completely okay with that," Tony answered without hesitation, because he couldn't look away from the sincerity in Steve's eyes. He startled as soon as he noticed this, but Steve was already smiling unabashedly and standing to go.

"That's great," Steve said, before Tony could say any more, "I guess we should talk about it a little more the next time we meet, huh? Usual time, usual place?"

"Deal," he agreed, breaking his own gaze from Steve's only when the blond turned towards the exit. "See ya later," he added absently, and Steve waved over his shoulder.

Tony let the door to the deli close before diving his hand into his pocket to fish out his phone, which he shakily dialed and pressed to his ear as quickly as he was able.

"-This had better be important," rang out from the other end, and Tony let out a sigh of relief as soon as he heard the voice despite the unamused tone.

"Rhodey," he huffed, "Rhodey-bear, babycakes, studmuffin,"

"Tony," his best friend interrupted, and Tony could hear the sigh of exasperation over the phone.

"I need help," he chose to plead instead, "I've got two hundred pounds of solid blond muscle and I don't know - "

"Tony," Rhodey interrupted again, "I don't have time to hear about your exploits right now."

"That's the problem!" Tony shouted back, looking around when he realized he was still in the deli and had drawn the attention of those around him. He let out a low hiss of air and focused on being more quiet. "He's not an exploit."

Rhodey didn't hang up, but he didn't say anything either. Tony sighed, resting his brow on a tired palm and tracing patterns in the table with his eyes. "He's not an exploit," he repeated, much softer, "I think it might be real."

The man on the other end still didn't say anything, but Tony was comforted by the steady breathing he could hear rhythmically pulsating through the receiver. "Tony, are you sure?" he finally asked, incredulity thick in his voice but readiness also apparent.

"I don't know," Tony sighed, still not willing to look up from the spots his eyes were making in the beat up table, "I don't know what I'm feeling. But the guy - he ordered mayo, Rhodey, and he's in the military and he's biggest, dumbest, nicest, best looking brute I've ever seen." he heard Rhodey let out a laugh, to which he replied with a strangled groan. "I'm _serious_!"

"It sounds like it," Rhodey replied easily, humor in his voice, "It sounds like you've finally got it figured out. Where'd you meet the lucky dude?"

Tony let out another strangled groan, and let his head thunk onto the table below him. "During a lecture. He's giving me... he's giving me swim lessons, Rhodeybear."

"So we're talking about a student, giving a grown-ass man who already knew how to swim, swimming lessons," Rhodey clarified, to which Tony nodded noisily against the table. His best friend let out another huff, and a muttered, What do I even do with you, Stark fell through the receiver, which Tony chose to ignore.

"I needed an excuse," the brunet all but whined, "He was going to walk away and I needed him to stay so I told him I couldn't swim. It's not all bad!"

"You've gotta tell him the truth," Rhodey countered quickly. Tony was reminded of Pepper's words of advice earlier, of the words he hadn't heeded when he decided to ask Steve out beyond their usual meets. "If it's real," the lieutenant pressed on, "If it's real like you say, then you're gonna have to get over this hiccup. If you want him to accept _you_ , Tony, you have to tell him. And I mean all of it, not just the parts you think he'll like."

"What if he doesn't like _me_?" Tony asked quietly, finally starting to realize the importance of his friends' words.

"Then I don't have any advice for you, man," Rhodey replied, "But I can guarantee you that's not going to happen."


	5. Chapter 5

Tony's feelings ruminated for a week, distracting him during long hours in the office and keeping him awake at night. He hadn't even known Steve all that long, and most of the time had been spent with him lying to the blond, so he couldn't understand where these feelings had come from. But they plagued him for the next week while he waited for his next lesson, which snuck up on him after a distracted day of work.

"I thought I might have scared you away," Steve called to him as Tony ran out to the edge of the pool, gasping for breath.

"I'm not that late," he argued instead, leaning over to facilitate air flow. He'd dressed in his trunks in record time, and only after running the last few blocks to the university after his driver had gotten stuck in traffic. Already he was having a rough day, but when he finally looked up at Steve he realized it was only about to get much, much worse.

Now that Tony was fully aware of his attraction to the blond, everything about Steve set him on fire: the way his abs flexed and distorted in the water, the way chills ran up and down his toned biceps, the upturned lips that practically beckoned Tony to them. Tony licked his lips and joined Steve in the water before he became too obvious. He was grateful for the cold water, which served as a wake up for the brunet and a great distraction from his current problems.

"We're floating today, and I'm going to take you around the shallow end, off of your feet" Steve explained, and Tony mentally groaned. Everything about today's plan seemed like something that might involve some sort of touching, and Tony knew this time he wouldn't be able to handle it. But he couldn't just avoid this part of the lesson just because he'd developed an inconvenient crush. Admitting that he didn't need these steps meant admitting that he didn't need any of these lessons, and then he'd be out of chances to get to know Steve even better.

"Sounds like a plan," Tony forced out instead, forcing a smile through his teeth. He moved further into the water, out to where Steve was waiting in the middle of the shallow end. Steve extended a hand as Tony arrived, waiting for the brunet to take it. Tony hesitated briefly, both cursing and praising his luck. Then he reached out his own hands, allowing Steve to envelope them in his larger ones and pull Tony forward.

"It's really about buoyancy," the blond said, voice calm and steady as he began to pull Tony slowly. "You can float and tread water no problem with just a little bit of practice and understanding, and that's the most important part of knowing how to swim. So just focus on me and we're going to move around the shallow end. Pick your feet up when you feel comfortable doing it, and put them down whenever you feel like you're going to sink."

"It's a big step for us today," Steve continued, pulling Tony a little faster after they'd circled. It hadn't taken long for Tony to pick his feet up, only long enough to get their speed down before lifting his feet from the floor. He resisted rolling his eyes as he bent his knees further, desperate to comment as he was dragged like a child through the water. Steve's hands were warm in his own even despite the cold temperature of the water, and he knew snarky remarks would only incite Steve to stop what he was doing. Besides, it was sort of relaxing to get pulled around like he was in a lounge chair, and the only effort he had to make was to stay above water.

"Feel how the water reacts to your body? It's our natural disposition to stay afloat, so your only task is just make sure you keep your head steady."

Steve's voice was soothing, a calm baritone that eased Tony's mind as the water flowed over his skin. He gave Steve a reassuring squeeze on the hand as they moved, and so the other man eased himself into a much slower pace.

"I'd like to try something else now," he said once they had slowed to a stop and were moving only by the influence of the gentle waves. Tony looked up, patient to hear what Steve might suggest, so the blond continued. "I'd like to try to let you go, just long enough to get you floating on your own. It would still just be here in the shallow end, so you wouldn't be in any danger, but I'd like to see how well you can do on your own, without any outside influence. I really think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find you've got the hang of it already."

Tony nodded, even though he knew he wouldn't be. Steve was right; treading water was one of the most basic steps to knowing how to swim, and he'd been doing it since he was a young boy. He have to make it look fumbling in order to look convincing, but concentrating on how he might do so made him look pensive enough about the situation. "So you're just going to let go and I'm going to sit here and tread for a few minutes," he verified, testing the distance to the ground and the space he had to move around in with his feet and hands.

"Exactly," Steve answered, "Just treading without holding on to anything or touching the floor at all. If you need to, drop your feet, but only do that if you know you're going down." Tony nodded, because he could do that. And he'd look like he was really getting the hang of Steve's instructions, which seemed like a win-win situation for the both of them. He just needed to get the right pattern to keep himself upright, and then they'd be moving on to something that didn't involve holding hands.

Tony didn't expect Steve to let go when he did, so when the blond finally dropped his hands Tony sunk like a rock to the bottom of the pool. It was shock that mostly incapacitated him, but it lasted long enough that Steve was forced to reach down and fish Tony out of the water. He pulled him up sputtering as gasping for air, cursing Steve as he did so.

"I'm so sorry, Tony," Steve was saying over and over again, holding Tony under his arms while trying to get him more upright, letting go only when he knew Tony's feet were firmly planted on the pool's floor.

He knew it wasn't exactly Steve's fault, and he hadn't been in any danger, but the embarrassment of having gone under and the shock of the cold were still fresh, and Tony lashed out. "It's fucking cold!" he shouted, coughing up his lungs as he struggled to remove all the chlorinated water from his systems. He only looked up to Steve when he was confident that he could breathe again, but his anger melted away at the apologetic look on Steve's face.

"Are you all right?" Steve asked hesitantly, looking over Tony for any signs of danger or trauma. Tony instantly felt terrible for his overdramatic reaction. It was just three feet of water, and he'd honestly been nothing more than briefly startled. It was unfair to act as though Steve had been trying to kill him.

"Just drowning a little," Tony replied sardonically, shaking the water from his hair in a futile effort to get it to stand back up. He was back to breathing normally but Steve still felt concerned. "I'm okay," he confirmed instead of a continued snarky reply, "And a little surprised. I promise you, I'm confident in this. I can tread water well enough to stay afloat."

Steve didn't look totally convinced, cocking an eyebrow at Tony and watching him seriously for signs of lying. Tony shrugged, because he meant what he said, and that seemed to satisfy Steve well enough.

"Tell you what," he ventured, knowing Steve wouldn't be satisfied unless they found a compromise, "I'm going to show you that I know how to tread water by doing it from one end of the pool to the next. Just over here, but you're going to be surprised with what I can do."

"Tony - " Steve began, because that did sound a little suicidal. But Tony shook his head firmly, cutting off Steve's concern.

"No, I can do it! Let me prove it to you. And when I do, you have to do one thing for me... to make up for nearly drowning me." He said it with a grin, so Steve's face didn't fall at the mention of it, this time. Instead, the blond looked more suspicious than ever, watching Tony for another reaction before finally nodded.

"Deal. One side of the pool to the other, not touching the bottom."

"You're going to be so sorry you agreed to this," Tony replied easily, grin turning sadistic as he turned away to get to the edge. Steve nodded, because he kind of already knew that, but it was too late to take it back.

This was cheating. Tony could feel it, almost felt bad because this was definitely cheating. And he wasn't quite sure he was going to pull it off, but the idea of being able to go out on a date was too tempting. So he lined himself up on the edge of the pool and looked out to where Steve had pushed up onto the opposite side. It was maybe fifty feet of space between them, all shallow water, so Tony took a deep breath. The hardest part was going to be making this look convincing.

"Whenever you're ready!" Steve called, and Tony took one last deep breath before pushing off.

He had never thought about it, but as Tony treaded water in a modified doggy paddle, he realized just how slowed movement was in the water. His bent legs and rapidly moving hands were working about as fast as they could but he was still struggling to keep his head above water, much less to move across the shallow end. Tony would have given up the effort as soon as he realized how hard it was if not for the promise at the end, and so he clung to that as he treaded harder and harder, determination growing. He couldn't afford to touch the floor, but his feet were so close that it was nearly impossible to do so. Steve was watching like a hawk, not necessarily waiting for Tony to mess up (because despite his suspicions he did want Tony to succeed) but ready to announce that Tony had lost his bet.

Tony counted breaths and focused on his feet and determinedly did not look at Steve for the entirety of the few minutes it took him to cross the pool, and he touched the side with such pride that he let out a whoop and slammed his fists against the edge.

"I win!" he exclaimed over Steve's proud laughing, moving forward to tug himself out of the pool and next to Steve. But in his excitement, his hands slipped on the slick edge of the pool and Tony was underwater again, flailing as he tried to find leverage to stand but slipping on every surface his feet touched. He managed to stand only as Steve jumped back into the water, reaching out for Tony with a milder panic on his face.

"I'm fine!" Tony said again, sputtering in his attempts to stand. Embarrassment flushed his face cherry, and he began wiping the water from his face as he tried to look back up at the blond for reassurance. He didn't really want to see Steve's concern for his apparent ineptitude, but he knew the other man needed to know he wasn't permanently scarred from his own inability to function. How had he managed this _three times_ in Steve’s presence so far?

With a deep breath, Tony decided to also go ahead and get in the question he had been meaning to ask, before anything else could go wrong with his plan. If nothing else, Steve might take pity on his just for making such a complete fool of himself - at least, he hoped he would.

"I'd like you to go to dinner with me!" he nearly shouted, face red and dripping water. He only barely managed to catch Steve's bewildered expression through the water pouring from his hair as he'd said it.

"Like on a date?" Steve clarified, although his mouth more resembled a fish's as he spoke. It was opening and closing as though he wasn't sure what to say, and when Tony nodded in affirmation it only sped up.

"It doesn't have to be," the brunet amended quickly, "But I'd like it to."

This seemed to fix Steve confusion, because a hesitant, "No, that's fine," fell out before, "Sure." He said it again, as though for good measure, and smiled at Tony with his answer.

"I'm - " Tony attempted, but he was honestly shocked this had worked at all. He flapped his mouth like Steve once or twice for good measure, looking for the words to express his excitement without coming off as too crazy or obsessed, but there didn't seem to be any. "I'm looking forward to it, then" he fumbled instead, to which Steve at least looked amused.

"You can pick me up at my place around eight tomorrow?" Steve offered, "At least, I'm assuming you're driving."

Tony nodded, still not trusting too many words, and offered Steve his brightest smile. This had been the whole point of the lessons, but now that it had finally come he found he was more excited about it than he originally thought. Steve's returned smile was just as radiant, although the blond seemed a little overwhelmed and definitely shy about the whole thing.

"And wear something other than a bathing suit," Tony amended quickly, a grin on his face. "Not that I wouldn't enjoy that, too. But you probably wouldn't fit in very well."

"I'll see what I can scrounge up," Steve joked, "You may just get stuck with Army fatigues."

The thought was appealing, and had Tony reeling faster than he could make another of his own lame jokes. Both men flushed as they realized Tony's mind had automatically equated _fatigues_ with _uniform_ and _uniform_ with _sexy_ , but Tony attempted to play it off with a laugh. "I said fit in well," he said, "Not stand out like the adonis that you are."

Steve flushed one more time and murmured something, although Tony missed it. Instead of asking (because Steve looked like he might pass out from misplaced blood soon), Tony just took Steve's hand in his own and patted it affectionately before offering a "See you at eight," and walking away quickly. If Steve saw him congratulate himself on the way into the locker rooms, the blond didn't say anything.


	6. Chapter 6

"I can't believe you're still playing this game, Tony. This man has been trying to help you, and you've been lying to him. He still thinks you don't know how to swim." Pepper was following Tony around the following night to ensure he had everything he needed for his important date, including a poorly-timed lecture on the morals of dating. Normally Tony valued and respected her advice and opinions, but he'd been blinded the past day by his excitement to go on this date, and he really didn't care whether she liked the idea or not.

"I don't think that has anything to do with whether or not the guy wants to go on a date," Tony fired back, giving Pepper an unimpressed look as he finished buttoning up his shirt. "Besides, he knows who I am.

"I wasn't even going to touch on that point, but since you bring it up, I think it's at least worth considering." Pepper continued to look as unamused as Tony felt, but he shrugged her off.

"It's just a date, Pep," he said, looked up to her with a serious expression. Her own reflected unamusement and irritation, but Tony knew she only did these things to protect him and to protect his company. He stepped forward to take her gently by the shoulders and to look her straight in the eye. "And I appreciate your concern, but we are both going to be fine. I'm going to tell him tonight, while we're on our first serious date. Does that make you feel better?"

Pepper looked like she didn't quite believe him, but she nodded anyway, trying to ease her frustration by rubbing her temple calmingly and offering him very small smile. "Just don't hurt him," she emphasized again, "And don't let him hurt you. I know you, Tony. Don't let him."

"I won't," Tony assured her, taking one of her hands in his own. Pepper's concern for him and his screw ups was often overwhelming, but he wouldn't trade it for anything. He knew she was usually right, and he knew that she only wanted what was best for him, but he wasn't ready to let this go yet. He made a promise to himself to follow through with her advice soon, lest he risk the pain that she knew would be coming for him or Steve. He knew it was possible, probably too late, he just didn't want to face that yet.

That didn't stop the thought from haunting him all the way to Steve's apartment, however. The short trip through the city was an agonizing one, spent deep in thought as Tony considered how he might be able to tell Steve of his stupid plan to trick the blond into spending more time with him, and how he might explain that it had grown into something much more important. He suspected that Pepper was right, that Steve wouldn't be thrilled to hear his terrible news, but he also knew he couldn't keep up the charade forever. By the time he was standing in front of the blond's apartment door, he hadn't come any closer to a decision.

As soon as Steve opened the door, however, Tony's troubles were forgotten in a wave of awe. Steve looked... amazing. Tony had only ever seen him in swimming trunks and casual shorts and t-shirts, but he'd dressed up a little for their date, and Tony felt himself staring, unable to look away. He finally moved to make eye contact with the tall blond, but was surprised to find Steve was doing the same to him.

"Hi," Steve uttered breathlessly, looking up to meet Tony's eyes and letting out a disbelieving huff.

"Hey," Tony answered smoothly, shaking his head slightly to free himself from being so enchanted. "I hope you don't mind Italian, I booked us a restaurant." He took the time to look around Steve's apartment so that he wasn't staring at Steve. It was a small but cozy space, full of large, fluffy furniture and more books than Tony even kept in his sizable office.

"Italian is fine," Steve agreed, stepping out before Tony could get a better look around. He locked the door behind him and turned back to the brunet, shifting awkwardly as the two of them waited for the other to move. "Shall we go?"

Tony nodded dumbly, following Steve as soon as the man started moving. He took the lead as they made their way outside, directing the taller man towards the restaurant he had chosen specially for tonight.

Dinner wasn't much better. The meal was delicious, and like their lunch date, the conversation rolled easily. Steve told more stories of his childhood, and Tony shared some of his work woes. They laughed more than they ate, and found themselves paying more attention to each other than their did their own meals. It was a strange feeling for Tony, knowing he was enjoying a date for more than just what was to come after.  This hit him like a ton of bricks, right as Steve made some inane joke that had them both laughing and disrupting the dinner guests around them. He _liked_ Steve, like everything about the other man. Tony didn't feel a lot of affection for others: his whole life had been spent distancing himself from those who might cause problems in his life and the only exceptions had really been Rhodey and Pepper, but he felt different with Steve, and it had only been a measly few weeks.

The thought stuck with him through dinner, and through their walk afterwards. He couldn't help but see Steve in a new light, admire not only Steve's amazing physique but also his great sense of humor, his admiringly kind heart, his fierce intelligence. It all made Tony crave to spend more time with him, crave each moment a bit more than the last. But the evening found them at Steve's doorstep all too early, and it was with a heavy heart that Tony realized he'd probably been a terrible date while he was lost in the realization that he not only liked Steve, he probably _loved_ him. But he hadn't taken the chance to tell the blond the truth yet, and he probably wouldn't be given the chance after this.

"I had a good time, Tony," Steve said quietly, toying with his keys as he hovered by the door. Tony was interrupted from his thoughts and thrust back into the space between them, immediately picking up on the man's nervousness. He felt his own anxiety speed up his heart rate, and he swallowed hard. Was that interest in Steve's voice, despite Tony's preoccupation? Had Steve enjoyed just spending time together as much as Tony had?

"I did, too. We should do it again sometime," Tony answered easily, but lacked his usual confidence and held the barest hints of a questioning tone. He moved forward slightly, hoping he was picking up the right signals but not daring to count on it. Still, he reached out and took one of Steve's hands in his own, pulling forward slightly. Steve seemed surprised, but was flexible enough as Tony leaned in, and even met the brunet halfway. Their lips touched tentatively, pressing lightly against each other in question before both men decided this was definitely what they wanted, and we suddenly swept up in a wave of passion. Tony dragged his hands up Steve's arms, trailing nails over cloth-covered skin and groaning at the feel of the chills he sent up with him. Steve own hands wrapped around Tony, meeting in the curve of his back and pulling him flush against the larger man's body. Tony grunted as their fronts made contact, lifting fingers to tangle into Steve's soft locks.

" _Want you_ ," Steve breathed into Tony's mouth and Tony gasped back, tugging harder at Steve's hair. He'd wanted this, craved it, but never expected Steve might feel the same so quickly. Their lips dragged against each other, teeth grazing skin and leaving red stripes of passion as the two men clung to each other in a desperate attempt to get closer. "Let's get inside," Steve suggested as he pulled away from Tony's lips, moving them to suck on a spot below Tony's ear. The brunet nodded enthusiastically, grasping for the keys that dangled from Steve's fingers around his hips. He wrangled them out of Steve's grasp, leaning towards the door but opening up more skin for Steve to lave with his tongue and hands. A roving grip found the curve of Tony's ass right as he managed to get the keys into their slot, and he yelped as it was given a squeeze and Steve nipped at his collarbone.

"Inside, inside _now_ ," Tony insisted, pushing Steve in the open door and slamming him against the nearest wall. He retangled his fingers so that he could pull Steve down into a hard kiss, and Steve replied by moaning into his mouth and shifting his grip to Tony's thighs. He cupped Tony's legs and pulled, lifting Tony a few inches into the air by both legs and catching him against the back of the door as it closed. Tony cried out at the show of strength, throwing both hands against the wall to search for purchase somewhere while Steve continued to push him up with the muscles in his thighs.

He could feel the bulge of Steve inside his pants, and in searching for a grip ended up rubbing himself up against that bulge, matching Steve's excitement with his own. Both men shuddered violently, but Steve didn't give Tony another chance before he was gripping one of Tony's wrists in one hand and fumbling with their pants with the other. Buttons were hastily undone and the fabric between them was thrown aside as each man struggled to touch more, move faster, all while battling teeth and tongue for dominance in a fierce kiss.

"We should - " Tony tried in between breaths as he tugged on Steve's shirt and writhed to get out of his pants " - We should - bedroom - "

"Yes," Steve agreed to the suggestion, lowering Tony carefully but not taking his hands off of him. He tugged Tony's shirt as the man fell to the floor, bending over and allowing his own shirt to be tugged off as he licked a trail down Tony's abs. They practically raced for Steve's bedroom, as scarcely decorated as the living room Tony had glimpsed earlier but for the comfiest bed Tony had ever seen. Steve tackled Tony onto it as soon as they were within range, bouncing over the man as pants were finally shaken loose and thrown over the edge.

They didn't waste any more time with clothes, grinding into each other with such fervor that the bed groaned under their ministrations. Steve stroked Tony's groin, massaging his thighs before drawing fingers over the solid bulge underneath boxer briefs. Tony gasped under the ministrations, straining to reach Steve's own growing bulge but falling just short and reaching for erect nipples instead. Steve panted with pleasure, rolling under Tony's delicate caresses and wrapping fingers around Tony's firm cock through fabric as he leaned forward to kiss Tony's own hardening nipples and trembling stomach. His knees pressed down between Tony's as they moved, forcing the brunet's legs open wider to provide a better angle. Tony pulled on Steve's shoulders and hair as Steve licked at his abdomen and hips with at a tantalizing pace, drawing nearer and nearer to Tony's neck and ears and working his hips further into the space. When he could reach far enough, Tony stretched and grasped at Steve's ass, kneading meaty flesh between his fingers and leaving marks with his nails. He pulled Steve flush against himself and began to thrust their cocks together, working a rhythm that left Steve gasping and grasping at Tony and the sheets beneath them.

They worked at that pace for a while, grinding hard against each other and heaving air between them as they struggled to prolong their building pleasure. Every bit of contact felt like fire, sweat working its way down Steve's back and across Tony's forehead and leaving skin slick enough to slide effortlessly. Tony was beginning to lose his mind, about to lose himself entirely, when he was suddenly thrown back into reality by a single, sobering thought from nowhere.

"Steve," he shouted, unable to halt the thrusting of his hips as Steve worked at his nipples with swollen lips and and held their dicks together, moving with tight, controlled motions that matched their rhythm. "Steve!" he tried desperately again, "I have to - I have to tell you something - " He had the thought as they rutted against each other, had it pop up in his mind and nag at him until the guilt was overpowering the pleasure. He had to tell Steve what he'd promised Pepper he would, and he had to do it now, before he lost his mind any more than he already had, before they went too far to turn back.

"Anything," Steve murmured back, meeting Tony's lips again with a deep breath and slowing his ministrations on Tony's cock. Tony let his thrusting slow before trying to catch his breath, tugging at Steve's arms to help slow himself down. "Anything, Tony," Steve offered again, lazy kisses trailing down his jaw while Tony tried to work the words.

"I need to tell you," the brunet tried, focusing on the words but failing to find them. Steve slowed even further then, pulling back in order to look into Tony's eyes.

"You can tell me anything," the blond said earnestly, eyes shining with lust and affection. Tony watched him for a moment, looking for any sign of dishonesty in the man but finding none. He opened his mouth again to try to say the words, to try to make the confession.

 _I've been lying to you._ It should be easy. _I've been lying so that I could get you in bed._ But here they were, at Tony's crowning achievement, and he wanted nothing more than to keep this. He didn't want to have Steve just once and then forget about him, he wanted him every night and every day. And what if Steve felt the same? Would he, after he knew Tony's original plan?

He couldn't risk it.

"I... wanted to invite you my dinner party," he blurted instead, rubbing quick circles into Steve's upper arms with nervous hands, "It's this weekend and I knew I would forget but I really want you to be my date."

Steve hn'd, an amused expression on his face. He gave Tony a thoughtful look, mulling the idea in his head before grinning. "I think I could manage something like that this weekend," he agreed, placing a more chaste kiss against Tony's lips before returning to the red marks down Tony's chest. Tony let out a breath of relief, dragging fingers down Steve's shoulders before wrapping his legs around Steve's hips. He cursed himself inwardly for his cowardice, but it was better this way. "Seems like an awfully small thing for you to interrupt us, though," the blond laughed into olive skin, and Tony huffed nervously.

"I didn't think you'd say yes to something so big," he lied, twitching under the delicate tracing of Steve's fingers over his stomach and back to where they had been caressing earlier. He let out a yelp as Steve took hold of his cock again through his pants, and his thrusting resumed almost immediately.

"When I said anything," Steve said quietly, "I meant that I would give you anything." Elastic stretched over Tony's hips and prick as Steve tugged on Tony's briefs, and Tony lifted his hips so they could be easily removed. Steve lifted his own hips to kick off his own shorts, and skin joined skin as he leaned back down over Tony. They both shuddered as their heated skin rubbed against each other touching sensitive areas and stimulating base needs. "You just have to say so," he whispered one more time, into Tony's lips as he brushed them with his own, matching the gentle rhythm his hips were beginning to take.

"I know," Tony whispered back, closing his eyes. He wished he could believe it. Instead, he pulled Steve down further and sucked on his lower lip, distracting the blond from talking once more. Steve groaned into their kiss, and their conversation was forgotten.  



	7. Chapter 7

Tony's party arrived both too quickly and too slowly. He didn't see Steve for the few nights in between but he could still feel the pressure of lips and the heat of their night shared every time he thought about him. And he thought about how he'd failed to tell Steve the truth, a fact that he suspected Pepper and Rhodey knew just based on the dirty looks they shot him every time they happened to make eye contact. Tony tried not to let it get to him, focusing instead on making sure he would look and feel perfect for the big reveal of his new boyfriend.

_ His boyfriend. _

The words sounded foreign in his head but filled him with such joy that he couldn't stop thinking them. _His boyfriend. Tony Stark's boyfriend, Steve Rogers. Steve, Tony's boyfriend._ He tried the words out loud in front of the mirror and found that he liked them even more. False introductions were made for hours into the mirror in his bedroom, each one more proud and ridiculous than the last until he finally gave up under a fit of giggles and had to step out. It was almost time for the guests' arrival, and Steve would be included among them. Tony hardly found himself feeling guilty at all for the hastily made-up story about wanting Steve as his date, especially since it meant showing Steve off in front of his friends and colleagues. The only two he had any fear of introducing to Tony were, of course, Rhodey and Pepper, but he also knew that while they both felt strongly about what he had failed to do, they wouldn't sabotage him for the sake of fixing it. He would just have to deal with lectures and meaningful glances for most of the night, and he was prepared to do that.

Most of his guests arrived earlier than Steve, as Tony had told his date to plan on being late for the sake of proper introductions. Steve had argued the merits of showing up on time but it had been to no avail, and so when Pepper showed up early and Rhodey showed up right on time, Tony made sure to let them know that they weren't allowed to spill his secret before the blond showed, although they reacted exactly as he expected.

"I can't believe you," Pepper had told him, like usual, frustration thick in her voice. Tony had known she would be unhappy with him, so it was easy to play it casual as he avoided her accusation and tried to continue their earlier conversation.

"Pepper's right," Rhodey had agreed instead, forcing the topic back up and encouraging Tony to consider taking the easy way out of this conversation and running. Luck had been on his side, however, as Steve chose that exact moment to show up, and Tony flagged him down from across the room.

"Pepper, Rhodey, I'd like you meet Steve Rogers, who I've told you all about," Tony introduced as Steve approached them, gesturing to his two best friends and back to Steve, whose friendly smile lit up upon hearing their names. "Steve, this is my assistant and slave driver Pepper Potts, and my best friend in the world. Lieutenant James Rhodes - Rhodey."

"I've heard a lot about you," Steve said enthusiastically as soon as he heard their names, taking both Pepper and Rhodey's hands and shaking them with equal vigor.

"And we've really heard all about you," Pepper agreed, the dirty look she'd been shooting at Tony dissipating as soon as it fell on Steve. To him, she offered one of her more radiant smiles.

Rhodey seemed equally pleased, although he hadn't given Tony any looks beyond the very obvious _tell him the truth_ vibes he'd been sending. "All good things, of course," he assured the blond. Steve saluted him briefly before they fell into a conversation regarding their time in their respective military branches, and Tony looked to Pepper.

"I know what you're going to say - " he said quickly, moving to ease her lethal glare before she could lecture him further, "And I want you to know that you're right, I'm an idiot. But I'm still working on fixing it."

Pepper seemed to know this was a lie, but resigned herself to a sigh and a large sip of her champagne. "We know that's not true," she confirmed, echoing his very thoughts, "But for what it's worth, he seems like a good man. I'm honestly just glad you're happy. And he seems happy enough, too." She leaned forward and gave Tony a kiss on the cheek, which he covered with his fingers while she approached Steve and Rhodey. He was surprised he had gotten off so easily with her, but he also knew that she could only take care of him so much before he had to start owning all his own mistakes. That she was letting him have this one meant the world to him, which she already knew.

"Which one of you is going to take me onto the dance floor for a good time?" she asked as she reached the other men, to which Steve immediately obliged. Rhodey hovered in the same spot for a while before slowly making his way back to Tony, where they both watched the happy team out on the dance floor.

They sat in companionable silence for most of the waltz, which was strange for Tony but not unwelcome considering Rhodey's possible venues of conversation. He sipped at his champagne casually, trying to look more comfortable than he felt around the man he'd known for years and who knew him better than anybody.

"How long did you say you'd known Steve?" Rhodey asked conversationally about halfway through the song, startling Tony out of his thoughts and forcing him to do a few quick calculations.

"A few weeks. I've attended two lessons with him," he rationed, "Why?"

"Just curious." Rhodey explained, letting the answer hover between them a while. "And you said you've technically been on two dates now?" When Tony nodded, Rhodey swirled his drink thoughtfully but didn't say any more.

"So when were you going to tell him?" he pressured after some time had passed, watching the blond as he twirled Pepper one more time before dipping her in a big finale. They were both laughing, and Tony shrugged as he tried not to let his heart ache too much over the thought. He knew it had been too much to hope the man didn't bring it up, but that didn't make the topic any easier to swallow.

"Lessons are going to be over soon. Who's to say he has to find out otherwise?" the brunet defended, but Rhodey scoffed and gave him a skeptical look.

"I know you, Tony. You like think you'll be able to hide this forever, but you won't. You know you won't. You have to tell him before it's too late and it hurts one or both of you."

"Why do you and Pepper both assume somebody is going to get hurt?" Tony responded quietly, staring hard into his drink to avoid the look he knew Rhodey was giving him.

"Because you're already hurting," Rhodey answered quickly. "Do you think we can't tell?"

"I hoped," Tony admitted, looking down further into his drink. He'd lied to Pepper, telling her that he would tell Steve, but he couldn't lie to Rhodey. They both knew that eventually his entire story would crumble and Steve would find out the secret he had been hiding. He just didn't want to think about those possibilities, so he avoided the thoughts that inevitably lead him down that road, down the road where Steve left him for good.

"I just can't tell him, Rhodey," he continued, meaninglessly. "It's been too long since the opportunity to confess came up and now that we've come this far it's a fake it or break it kind of deal. If I tell him, I lose him. At least this way I get to keep for him a little bit longer. Steve just can't know."

"Steve can't know what?" the blond called suddenly, and Tony's eyes flew up to where both Steve and Pepper were rejoining them from the dance floor. He tensed up as soon as he realized Steve had heard him, and panic welled in his body as he was thrust into the situation he had just been thinking about avoiding.

Tony turned to Rhodey for help, but the man crossed his arms knowingly and only gave Tony a meaningful look before saying, "Tony just has something he wants you to know about the lessons you've been giving him. He's just not sure how to go about telling you."

Tony inwardly groaned, and felt a little like dying right there on the spot. He watched, betrayed, as Rhodey and Pepper offered sympathetic glances but then disappeared, leaving him standing with Steve alone in their spot.

"I just needed to tell you," he tried, fully intending to make something up. But Steve's expression told him that the blond would know if he was lying, and at the last minute he shook his head and forced himself to look up firmly. "I need you to know that I never needed your lessons. I've known how to swim for most of my life."

"I know."

Tony moved to continue on with his explanation, but halted mid-sentence and stared, wide-eyed, up at his date. "What?" he verified, because there was no way that Steve had said what he'd just heard.

Steve sighed, and put his hands up on his hips, where he could relax them as he watched Tony pensively. "Tony, I've known you can swim since I first learned who you were. Your face is literally all over google, and it didn't take me long to start finding articles about how you participated in the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, or how you spent your summer vacation on the beaches of Hawaii. I've known long enough."

Tony stared, disbelief making his knees feel weak. "And you still let me go through all of those lessons?" he asked, voice shrill with shock. To this, Steve laughed and shook his head.

"How else was I going to get you to spend time with me? You insisted that you couldn't swim, so I was hoping that had more to do with me than it did your need to relearn everything you already knew how to do. I thought if you had your reasons for lying to me, it wouldn't hurt me so badly to do a little lying to you. To be honest, I didn't think I'd be able to really get my hands on you, but here we are."

"And you're not mad?" Tony continued. Somewhere, he knew there a part of him that should also be angry that Steve had played the same trick on him, but he was honestly too elated to address it.

"To be honest with you, I was a little angry at first. I thought you were wasting my time as an instructor, and that you were using me for something else. But the more I spent time with you, the more I realized I was also using our time for something else: getting to know you better. I would have missed that opportunity otherwise, so how could I stay mad? I know you don't believe me, but I really like you, Tony Stark. Whether or not you know how to swim."

Steve smiled sheepishly at that, reaching forward to take Tony's hands in his own to hold them close to his heart. He gave Tony a pleading look, begging the brunet to consider where they had come so far.

Tony's heartbeat picked up again, this time in excitement. "You know," he said earnestly, "I should be the one mad at you. I could have avoided those three times I nearly drowned if you had just told me you were interested in the first place," he joked, before pulling Steve by the lapels closer to him.

Steve laughed in return. "True," he agreed, "But then you wouldn't have won that bet for a date. Don't think I don't know that you totally cheated that." Tony blushed a little in response, but Steve just turned his face up to him. "And I wouldn't have been able to rescue you. It's just a shame I never had to teach you mouth-to-mouth."

This time, Tony smirked. "Guess that's the last lesson then, huh?" he asked before closing the distance between them.

Their first kiss had been shy, testing the waters. And their second, third, tenth kisses had all been passionate, shared in the throes of passion on their first night together. This kiss, however, was perhaps Tony's favorite. Now that they knew each other, now that their secrets had been shared and Tony knew that Steve loved him even despite his desperate and underhanded attempts, and now that he knew that Steve had used his own devious tactics to get closer to Tony and loved him even more for them, Tony felt that there could be no better kiss. He pressed closer when Steve wrapped his arms around his waist, and linked his own arms around Steve's neck, grinning into their loving embrace.

"Now come on," Tony offered as they pulled apart for air, leaving residual playful nips on lips and chin and nose, "I haven't been able to introduce you to anybody, yet. Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for the excuse to use the word 'boyfriend'? It's not an easy word to just casually bring up!"

"Tony," Steve halted, resisting as Tony tugged on his hand and waiting for the brunet to turn back to him. The look in his eyes was unrecognizable as Tony looked at him, but wavered somewhere between hope and glee. "You really mean that?" he asked earnestly, to which Tony laughed again and drew in close for one more sympathetic peck on his lips before pulling even harder.

"Of course I mean it," he answered easily, "Now that I've nabbed you without a made up excuse, you think I'm going to let you go?"

Steve breathed a sigh of relief and let himself be pulled along behind the excited brunet. "No, I guess not," he conceded.


End file.
